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Lana is the upcoming third studio album by American singer-songwriter SZA. It is scheduled to be released through Top Dawg Entertainment and RCA Records. Originally planned as the deluxe edition of SZA's previous studio album, SOS (2022), Lana evolved into its own album that would consist solely of new music.
American singer-songwriter SZA released her second studio album SOS on December 9, 2022, to widespread acclaim and high commercial success. [1] [2] It opened with a score of 94 on the review aggregate website Metacritic, [3] debuted atop the Billboard 200, broke a string of chart records, and spawned several career milestones. [4] SZA teased the imminent release of its deluxe version on Instagram upon SOS's release, [5] and she teased it again on a December 21 post, where she expressed gratitude for the album's number-one debut: "Imma take another swing at it for the deluxe then shut up for a while." [6]
During the album rollout, many of SZA's unreleased songs were circulating the Internet. Fans gravitated towards them and wanted them on the tracklist like SZA did, but Punch, president of SZA's label Top Dawg Entertainment, had reservations. [7] She described him, who primarily curated the standard version's tracklist, as someone with "a very strong opinion" about the matter in a December 2022 Consequence cover story. [8] She told Rolling Stone the same month that one song [note 1] was excluded because "no one wanted to hear songs that were out for years", [9] [10] and another was not deemed exciting enough for inclusion despite the positive reception from fans on Twitter. [11] In a January 2023 interview with Most Requested Live, SZA said the deluxe edition would feature the awaited outtakes: "that's what deluxe and things are for. Sometimes it's 10 songs that didn't make the cut, so we'll see." [12]
On February 25, 2023, Billboard reported that ten songs will be released as part of the deluxe edition of SOS. [13] SZA officially announced in September that it had become a "whole 'nother album" titled Lana, [14] [15] which she confirmed again during a Variety feature story. She told the magazine that the release would be unexpected, and she compared herself to Frank Ocean and André 3000 in that she was free to do whatever she wanted. [16] Elaborating on her decision to release another full album worth of material, she said that it had become more than expected and referred to the creative process as fun and did not spend too much time living in her "own head". [17]
SZA wrote and recorded over 100 songs for SOS within a timespan of five years. [18] [19] She and her collaborator, album producer Carter Lang, continued to make music after its release specifically for Lana, motivated by sporadic bursts of creativity. [20] By February 4, 2024, the day of the 66th Annual Grammy Awards, SZA told The Hollywood Reporter that the album was still "shaping itself" as she let her voice follow "whatever the [album]'s frequency [was]", though she refused to disclose more details. She reasoned that doing so would inadvertently change her creative direction for the album. [21]
The official announcement for the upcoming album took place during a surprise party held in Brooklyn Navy Yard to celebrate the success of SOS. During the event, SZA performed four songs intended for the deluxe edition: "Saturn", "PSA", "DTM", [note 2] and "Boy from South Detroit". [24] On December 10, SZA revealed six cover art variants for Lana on Instagram. [25] She once again alluded its release was on the way on March 12, 2024, while teasing an unreleased song; the accompanying video depicts SZA as she poses in a camping tent wearing nothing but a red bikini. [26] [27]
"Saturn" was released to streaming services on February 22, 2024, reportedly as Lana's lead single. [28] She previously performed "Saturn" for a Mastercard commercial during the 66th Annual Grammy Awards, swinging in front of a backdrop covered by tree and flower props that referenced a company's tree-planting campaign started by the company to combat climate change. [29] [30]
On March 25, SZA claimed in now-deleted Twitter posts that following the leaks of three songs intended for SOS, she would be "starting [the album] from scratch" and added: "At this point, y’all can keep the throwaways and leaks [...] Seems like a fair deal. Enjoy." [31] However, she seemed to change her mind as hours later, she posted again to say that the leaks and other outtakes would be officially released on another deluxe edition of SOS as to "not prolong" the wait for Lana itself. [32]
SZA, whose real name is Solána, used one of her nicknames to give SOS its title, [33] and the same was true for Lana. She got her nickname "Lana" at 13 years old, when she planned to have her first name tattooed on her. According to her, she had to pay $10 per letter, but having only $40, she used only the last four letters of "Solana" for her tattoo. [34]
Elizabeth Woolridge Grant, known professionally as Lana Del Rey, is an American singer and songwriter. Her music is noted for its cinematic quality and exploration of tragic romance, glamour, and melancholia, with frequent references to contemporary pop culture and 1950s–1970s Americana. Her vintage Hollywood glamour aesthetic is showcased in her music videos. She is the recipient of various accolades, including an MTV Video Music Award, three MTV Europe Music Awards, two Brit Awards, two Billboard Women in Music, and a Satellite Award, in addition to nominations for eleven Grammy Awards and a Golden Globe Award. Variety honored her at their Hitmakers Awards for being "one of the most influential singer-songwriters of the 21st century". Rolling Stone placed Del Rey on their list of the 200 Greatest Singers of All Time (2023), and Rolling Stone UK named her The Greatest American Songwriter of the 21st century (2023).
Solána Imani Rowe, known professionally as SZA, is an American singer-songwriter. She first gained recognition through her self-released extended plays (EPs), See.SZA.Run (2012) and S (2013), which helped her become the first female artist to sign with Top Dawg Entertainment. Her third EP, Z (2014), was her first project to be released to digital retailers and reached the top-ten on the US Independent Albums chart.
American singer-songwriter SZA has released two studio albums, three extended plays (EPs), one live album, and 44 singles. SZA debuted with her self-released EP See.SZA.Run in 2012, followed by the 2013 EP S, gaining the attention of the independent record label Top Dawg Entertainment. She signed to Top Dawg as the label's first woman artist in 2013 and released her third EP, Z, a year later. After Z, she began work on her debut studio album, Ctrl (2017), which debuted at number three on the US Billboard 200, peaked at number two on Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums, and has charted for more than five subsequent years. The album, alongside its Billboard Hot 100 top-40 singles "Love Galore" and "The Weekend", earned her three of her first five Grammy nominations, in 2018. All singles from Ctrl have been certified platinum or higher by the Recording Industry Association of America.
"Good Days" is a song by American singer-songwriter SZA. It was released through Top Dawg Entertainment and RCA on December 25, 2020, as the lead single from her second studio album, SOS (2022). SZA wrote the song alongside Jacob Collier, who provides background vocals, and with producers Carter Lang, Los Hendrix, and Nascent.
"Shirt" is a song by American singer-songwriter SZA and the third single from her second studio album, SOS (2022). Co-produced by Darkchild, it is an R&B song, containing elements of trap music, that is backed by synthesizers and 808 beats. The lyrics, which incorporate spiritual imagery such as darkness and sin, are about a toxic relationship that consumes SZA lustfully and entices her to return, despite its leaving her directionless and mentally exhausted. "Shirt" was released on October 28, 2022, and teased online two years beforehand, spawning a viral dance challenge on TikTok where fans gave it two names, including the official one and the alternative "Bloodstain". The song was also previewed at the end of the 2021 music video for the album's lead single "Good Days" (2020), a recurring creative decision she would make in forthcoming videos.
"Blind" is a song by American singer-songwriter SZA from her second studio album, SOS (2022). It is a beatless R&B and folk-pop song, featuring an orchestral production that consists of acoustic guitars, violas, and trumpets. SZA's vocal performance combines a rap cadence and slow falsetto vocals, with added vocal runs. In the song, SZA explores the duality of love and muses on a former relationship, as she expresses her disappointment to a toxic past partner while also expressing her continued attraction to him. For the chorus, SZA admits her insecurities in spite of seeking validation through sex, feeling empty and unable to find self-love within herself as a result of a failed romance. "Blind" also incorporates several pop culture references to figures such as Bob Saget and Jesus.
"PSA" is a song by American singer-songwriter SZA reported to appear on the deluxe edition of her 2022 second studio album, SOS. The song is backed by vocal harmonies, soft piano, and harps. On it, SZA raps with braggadocio, demanding people call her "number one", telling them to serve her, and angering someone to amuse herself. "PSA" was used for the official teaser for SOS, yet despite this, the song did not appear on the final track list for the standard edition.
SOS is the second studio album by American singer-songwriter SZA. It was released through Top Dawg Entertainment and RCA Records on December 9, 2022. The album features guest appearances from Don Toliver, Phoebe Bridgers, Travis Scott, and the late Ol' Dirty Bastard. SZA worked with a variety of record producers and songwriters such as Babyface, Jeff Bhasker, Rob Bisel, Benny Blanco, Darkchild, DJ Dahi, Ant Clemons, and Lizzo. It serves as the follow-up to SZA's previous album Ctrl (2017).
Cody Jordan "ThankGod4Cody" Fayne is an American producer, songwriter, and musician, most known for his production work on SZA's acclaimed albums Ctrl and SOS, as well as his 2019 debut album Cody of Nazareth.
"Nobody Gets Me" is a song by American singer-songwriter SZA and the fourth single from her second studio album, SOS (2022). It was sent to Italian radio on January 6, 2023, and US contemporary hit radio four days later. The song peaked at number 10 on the US Billboard Hot 100, the Canadian Hot 100, and the Official New Zealand Music Chart.
"Kill Bill" is a song by American singer-songwriter SZA and the fifth single from her second studio album, SOS (2022). It is a pop and R&B murder ballad, built around a midtempo, groovy rhythm and a detuned melody. Guitars, a bassline, and a flute that was sampled from a Prophet-6 synthesizer constitute the song's production, which is influenced by the boom bap subgenre of hip hop. Mirroring the plot of the Kill Bill film duology (2003–2004) after which the song is named, the lyrics discuss a fantasy to kill an ex-boyfriend and his new girlfriend out of jealousy, and they employ humorous irony alongside violent imagery that contrasts with SZA's soft vocals. "Kill Bill" was sent to US radio on January 10, 2023, after achieving success on streaming services.
"Snooze" is a song by American singer-songwriter SZA from her second studio album, SOS (2022). It was sent to rhythmic contemporary and urban contemporary radio as the sixth single from the album on April 25, 2023. SZA wrote the song with producers Babyface, the Rascals, and BLK. The acoustic version features Canadian singer Justin Bieber, who stars in the official music video of the song's original version, and was released on September 15, 2023.
"Ghost in the Machine" is a song by American singer-songwriter SZA from her second studio album, SOS (2022), featuring American singer-songwriter Phoebe Bridgers. The song is an indie pop and R&B ballad that music critics described as a cross between Bridgers's and SZA's respective sounds. Written in a conversational style, the lyrics express disillusionment with inauthentic relationships, inhumane behavior of other people, and artificial intelligence. They also portray SZA asking her lover to provide an escape from a world that she sees as having been consumed by vanity. The collaboration began with an online conversation between Bridgers and SZA; the two musicians rapidly completed the song a week before the album was scheduled for release. They co-wrote the song with Rob Bisel, Carter Lang, Matt Cohn, and Marshall Vore. Production and engineering duties were handled by Bisel, Lang, and Cohn.
"Low" is a song by American singer-songwriter SZA from her second album, SOS (2022). The song features adlibs from American rapper Travis Scott. It charted in the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, and the United Kingdom, with a number 24 peak on the Billboard Global 200. The song received a nomination for the Grammy Award for Best Melodic Rap Performance at the 66th ceremony.
"F2F" is a song by American singer-songwriter SZA from her second studio album, SOS (2022). "F2F" is a rock song that draws influence from genres such as country, pop rock, and grunge. SZA wrote the song with Lizzo, who provides background vocals, and producers Rob Bisel and Carter Lang. The song was one of around five rock-inspired songs SZA created for SOS, out of a desire to experiment with various genres outside of her usual R&B music. The song begins with acoustic guitar strums before transitioning into a chorus backed by drums and power chords from electric guitars. The lyrics talk about having sex with someone to cope with breaking up with a former partner.
The SOS Tour was the second concert tour and first arena tour by American singer-songwriter SZA, in support of her second studio album, SOS (2022). It was announced on December 13 alongside merchandise for the album, four days after the album's release. The international tour took place in North America for the first and third legs, Europe for the second, and Oceania for the fourth, totalling to 63 shows.
"Open Arms" is a song by American singer-songwriter SZA from her second studio album, SOS (2022), featuring American rapper Travis Scott. It is a ballad backed by an acoustic guitar, conceived as part of an effort to explore soundscapes outside of SZA's usual R&B-leaning music. The lyrics are addressed to a former lover, whom the narrator leaves for the sake of her self-esteem despite her persistent feelings of attachment to him. A tribute to SZA's deceased grandmother, Norma Rowe, begins the song, done in the form of a skit; Rowe's vocals featured prominently on SZA's debut album, Ctrl (2017)
"DTM" is an upcoming song by American singer-songwriter SZA, reported to appear on her third studio album, Lana.
"Saturn" is a song by American singer-songwriter SZA and reportedly the lead single of her upcoming third studio album, Lana (2024). It is a song about nihilism and escapism, discussing one's lamentations about why bad things happen to good people and wishes to leave Earth for another planet, Saturn, where they could possibly live a better life. "Saturn" features a twinkly instrumental, a result of a combination of arpeggios and beaming synthesizers. The song was surprise-released on February 22, 2024, after its official debut at the year's Grammy Awards ceremony over a week prior.